Separation of long chain normal paraffin hydrocarbons



April 21, 1970 T, A. CQQPER vET AL 3,507,785

SEPARATION OF LONG CHAIN NORMAL PARAFFIN HYDROCARBONS Filed May 16, 196'? T. A. coPER ETAL v3,507,785

SEPARATION'OF LONG CHAIN NORMAL PARAFFIN HYDROCARBONS 5 sheets-sheet April 21, 1970 Filed May 16. 196'? April 21, 1970 T. A. COOPER STAI. 3,507,785

SEPARATION 0F LONG CHAIN NORMAL PARAFFIN NYDROCANBONS Filed May 16, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 400 l l l I 3o\\\\\\ 2c,\ ,O O\i\f\ United States Patent O U.S. Cl. 208-308 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Separation of long chain normal parain hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon mixtures containing said normal parafn hydrocarbons by distillative separation of a fraction having an end point selected to include the highest carbon number constituent of the desired normal paratlin hydrocarbon product to the exclusion of the next higher carbon number normal parafiin hydrocarbon followed by solvent fractional crystallization involving dilution of said fraction with a solvent and chilling to a temperature effective to precipitate the lowest carbon number constituent of the desired normal paran hydrocarbon product to the exclusion-of lower carbon number constituents.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l Field of the invention This invention relates to a method of separating long chain normal paraflin hydrocarbons of selected chain length from hydrocarbon mixtures including other normal paraiiin hydrocarbons, branched chain and cyclic hydrocarbons. This method involves the use of distillative separation in combination with cooling in the presence of a `solvent to effect fractionation by partial solidication or crystallization. This invention is applicable to the separation of normal parains containing from 7 to 35 carbon atoms. It is particularly adapted to the separation of normal parain hydrocarbons containing 16 to 25 carbon atoms which are useful in the manufacture of biodegradable detergents, plasticizers and high purity chemical intermediates.

Description of the prior art It has long been known that crude petroleum oils comprise mixtures of parain, naphthene, and aromatic hydrocarbons including normal paraiiinic hydrocarbons of various chain lengths. However, the separation of pure normal paraflins having more than about 7 carbon atoms has been ditlicult since such materials appear in low concentration in complex mixtures of many hydrocarbon species having close boiling points. Schaerer, U.S. Patent 2,603,589, discloses a method of separating straight chain parain hydrocarbons having 20 to 60 carbon atoms from Wax mixtures by the separation of fractions having a narrow boiling point range of not more than 40 C. (72 F.) followed by cooling to a temperature below that at which the straight chain paraffin hydrocarbons solidify. Recently British specification 1,029,464 has disclosed a method of separating pure normal paraiiins having 12 to 16 carbon atoms by distillative separation of a very narrow fraction having a boiling range less than 8 C. (14.4 F.) and preferably less than 6 C. (10.8 F.) followed by crystallization at a temperature between 20 C. and a 30 C. (-4 F. and -22 F.) and preferably between -25 C. and -27 C. 13 and 17 F.). It has now been found, in accordance with this invention that pure normal paraffin hydrocarbons may be separated from relatively ICC wide boiling range feed stock with little or no regard for the initial boiling point of the mixture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a method of separating a product comprising normal parain hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon mixture containing other hydrocarbons including normal paraflins other than those having the chain length of the desired product. For example, a typical gas oil separated by distillation from crude oil is found to have the following tests and normal paraflin content:

ATMOSPHERIC GAS OIL Gravity API 30.5 Distillation, ASTM, F.

IBP 512 5 552 744 Pour point, F. +50 Analysis, normal paraftins, wt. percent Il-C13 0.1 IIC14 0.2 IIC15 I'l-CH; I"C17 1.7 II-Cl I'I'Clg 2.5 :Ur-C20 3.7 Il-Czl 4.1 :I1-C22 4.0 11C23 3.7 Il-C24 2.8 n-C25 2.2 Il'Cgs 1.5 11-C27 ll-Cgg IC29 0.5 Il-C30 IIC31 n-C32 0.1 n-C33 s 0.1 I1C34 I1C35 11Cas Total 32.2

In accordance with this invention, the hydrocarbon mixture is distilled separating a distillate having a boiling range including the highest carbon number constituent of the desired normal paraffin product to the exclusion of the next higher carbon number constituent of said hydrocarbon mixture, that is, the distillation is run to produce distillate of controlled end point. The resulting hydrocarbon distillate is then subjected to solvent fractional crystallization. In the solvent fractional crystallization, the distillate is diluted with up to 5.0 volumes of a solvent at a temperature of complete miscibility of said solvent and distillate. The diluted distillate is then cooled to a temperature within the range of -60 to +50 F. and specifically to the temperature at which the lowest carbon number constituent of the desired normal parafns separates as a solid from a solution comprising solvent, other hydrocarbons, and normal paraffin hydrocarbons of the next lower carbon number. In one embodiment of this invention, a hydrocarbon mixture is distilled to an end boiling point of 650 F., the distillate is diluted with 0.5 to 2.0 volumes of methylethyl ketone and the diluted mixture cooled to a separation temperature within the range of --20 to |20 F. separating a normal parafiin product containing normal parains having from 15 to 20 carbon atoms of greater than 95 percent purity.

In the fractional crystallization of parafiinic hydrocarbons from solvent diluted mixtures, the solvent dilutes the supernatant liquid and reduces its viscosity so that more complete and rapid separation of the supernatant liquid may be effected. Crystallization in the presence of a solvent also fosters crystal growth in well formed easily filtered condition. The solvent fractional crystallization of pure normal parafiins may employ the solvents, apparatus and methods employed in the well known solvent dewaxing process which is widely used to lower the cloud and pour points of lubricating oil fractions. Accordingly, solvents for use in the process of this invention include ketones for example, acetone, methylethyl ketone, methyl n-propyl ketone, methylisopropyl ketone, methylisobutyl ketone and their mixtures. Advantageously the ketone solvent may be modified by the addition of an aromatic hydrocarbon, for example, benzene or toluene as in solvent dewaxing. Cooling is advantageously effected in scraped Wall exchangers to maintain high heat transfer rates and prevent plugging. Separation of the normal parafiin crystals from supernatant liquid is desirably effected with drum type vacuum filters.

Purity of the separated normal parains may be increased by a repulping operation wherein the separated normal parains are combined with 1.0 to 8.0 volumes of additional solvent and the normal paraffins then separated from the repulping solvent at a temperature within the range of -60 to +50 F. When employing such a repulping operation, the separated repulping solvent is advantageously recycled with the distillate feed to provide at least a part of the solvent used for dilution in the first separation step. Preferably, in the separation of C15 to C20 normal parafiins, the separated normal paraflins are repulped with 2.0 to 6.0 volumes of solvent per volume of normal paraflins and said normal paraffins are then separated from said repulping solvent at a temperature within the range f -25 to +20 F.

Since the selection of the separation conditions determines the lowest carbon number separated as a solid in the normal paraffin product, normal parafiins of lower carbon number remaining in solution with the other hydrocarbons and solvent may be separated in a subsequent separation step employing a lower temperature. For example, normal parafiins of lower carbon numbers may be separated by cooling the liquid from the first separation to a temperature at least F. below the temperature of the first separation. The purity of the separated normal parains of lower carbon numbers may also be increased by repulping with 1.0 to 8.0 volumes of solvent, and separating the repulped normal paraffins from the repulping solvent at a temperautre within the range of -60 to +50 F. Normal paraffin products comprising normal paraffins of 99 plus weight percent purity may be separated in accordance with this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE l is a ow diagram illustrating the separation of normal parains with one stage of separation and one step of purification by repulping.

FIGURE 2 is a fiow diagram illustrating the separation of two normal paraffin products each product being subjected to a repulping purification.

FIGURE 3 is a representation of the relationship of the end boiling point of a hydrocarbon oil charge with the carbon number of the heaviest normal paraffin in the fraction.

FIGURE 4 is a representation of the relationship of the amount of normal paraffin of a particular carbon number crystallized with the crystallization temperature.

Although the flow diagrams illustrate particular arrangements of apparatus and materials which may be used in the practice of this invention, it is not intended to limit the invention to the particular apparatus or materials described.

Referring to FIGURE 1, a 430 F. IBP gas oil is passed as charge stock through line 1 to distillation tower 2. Distillation tower 2 is operated to separate distillate through line 3 which `distillate has an end point selected to include the highest carbon number normal parafiin in the desired normal paraffin product. For example, the separation of a distillate having an end point of 650 F. effects inclusion of normal paraffins having carbon numbers up to 20 in the distillate. Higher carbon number normal paraffins and other hydrocarbons boiling above `650" F. are withdrawn as bottoms product through line 4 for use as fuel or cracking stock not shown. The distillate is diluted with solvent, for example, methylethyl ketone from line 6 and recycle filtrate from line 7 and passed to heat exchanger 10. In heat exchanger 10, the oil-solvent mixture is cooled by indirect heat exchange with efiluent filtrate stream in line 11. The cooled mixture from exchanger 10 is passed through line 12 to chiller 13 wherein the temperature is further reduced to cause precipitation of normal paraffin crystals. Exchanger 10 and chiller 13 are advantageously scraped wall double pipe exchangers such as those used in the dewaxing of lubricating oil fractions. The chilled slurry of normal paraffin crystals in solvent diluted oil is passed through line 14 to lter feed tank 15 which serves as a surge tank and also provides time for crystal development. The slurry from tank 15 is withdrawn through line 16 and passed to vacuum rotary drum filter 17. Separated normal paraffin crystals are washed with solvent introduced through line 20 and discharged through line 21. Filtrate and washings from filter 17 are Withdrawn through line 11 and passed to heat exchanger 10y to provide a portion of the cooling load as described hereinbefore. Efiluent filtrate from exchanger 10 is passed through line 22 to solvent stripper 23 wherein solvent is separated as distillate in line 24 and stripped filtrate is withdrawn through line 25. The filtrate comprises a deparafiinized 650 F. end point gas oil having a lower pour point than the feed and accordingly is useful in the manufacture of low pour point fuel oils.

The distillate in line 24 comprising solvent is passed through line 26 to solvent accumulator drum 27 wherein it is collected for reuse. Solvent is withdrawn from drum 27 through lines 28 cooled in chiller 29 and discharged through line 30 to supply the solvent required in lines 6, 20, 33 and 36. Normal paraffin crystals are passed through line 21 and combined with additional solvent from line 33 and passed through line 34 to repulping filter 35. The normal paraffin crystals are separated and Washed with additional solvent introduced through line 36. Washed crystals of normal paraffin are withdrawn through line 37 and passed to solvent stripper 38. In solvent stripper 38, solvent is separated as distillate in line 39 and combined with the solvent in line 26 for return to solvent accumulator drum 27. Stripped normal paraffin product is withdrawn through line 40. Wash solvent streams 20 and 36 are employed to separate occluded oil from the normal paraffin crystals. The deparaffinized filtrate stream in line 7 is employed as a portion of the dilution solvent combined with the distillate in line 3. The intermediate purity normal paraffin stream in line 21 is diluted with solvent from line 33 and charged to rotary filter 35 where additional non-normal paraffin impurities are removed in the filtrate stream. This filtrate removed through line 7 is employed as described heretofore to provide a portion of the dilution solvent.

Referring to FIGURE 2, a wide boiling range gas oil is charged through line 51 to feed fractionator 52. In

fractionator 52, low boiling constituents are removed as distillate through line 53. Distillation to remove front end fractions which do not contain desired normal paraffins is employed to reduce the amount of material handled in subsequent processing steps but need not be precise since the subsequent crystallization of normal parafiis is controlled to effect separation between the desired normal paraffin product and normal paraifins of lower carbon numbers. Distillation bottoms from fractionator 52 which mav include, for example, normal paraiiins having from 12 to 30 carbon atoms, are withdrawn through line 54 and passed to distillation tower 55. Distillation tower 55 is operated to separate a controlled end boiling point distillate such that the distillate includes the highest carbon number normal parain desired in the product, for example, C20 normal paraffin. Higher boiling range hydrocarbons and normal paraiiins of higher carbon number than desired inthe normal paraffin product are withdrawn as bottoms through line 57. The distillate fraction in line 56 is combined with ltrate from line 60 and solvent from line 61 and passed through chiller 62 wherein the temperature is reduced to crystallize the desired normal parain product, for example, normal paraflins in the C17 to C20 range. The slurry of crystals in supernatant liquid is passed through line 63 to filter 64 wherein the crystals are separated from the filtrate stream withdrawn through line 65. The normal paraffin crystals are washed with additional solvent introduced through line 66 and withdrawn through line 67. The normal parafiin crystals are then repulped with additional solvent from line 68 and the mixture passed to filter 69 where the repulped purified crystals are separated, washed with additional solvent from line 70, and discharged through line 71. Filtrate comprising washing solvent and a small amount of occluded oil is withdrawn through line 60 and recycled as described above. Normal paraffin product in line 71 is stripped of solvent in solvent stripping tower 72. Product normal paraffins, for example, C17 to C20 normal paraiiins are withdrawn through line 73 and solvent is recovered as distillate through line 74.

Filtrate in line 65 which comprises normal parains having carbon numbers less than those separated in filter 64 for example C12 to C17 normal parafiins and other hydrocarbons and solvent in line 65 is combined with filtrate in line 77 and solvent from line 78 and passed to Chiller 79. In chiller 79, the temperature is reduced to a lower level crystallizing the C15` to C17 normal parains in the mixture and the resulting slurry of crystals in oil is passed through line 80 to filter 81. In filter 81 the separated normal paraffin crystals are washed with additional solvent from line 82 and withdrawn through line 83. Filtrate is withdrawn through line 84 and passed to solvent stripper 85 wherein solvent is removed as distillate through line 86 and deparaflinized oil is withdrawn as bottoms through line 87. The separated normal paraffin crystals in line 83 are repulped with additional solvent introduced through line 90 and passed to filter 91. The repulped crystals are separated in filter 91, washed with additional solvent introduced through line 92, and withdrawn through line 93. The resulting filtrate comprising the removed occluded oil and solvent is recycled through line 77 as described hereinbefore. The washed repulped normal paraflin crystals are passed to solvent stripper 95 wherein solvent is removed as distillate through line 96 and purified C11J to C17 normal paraffins are withdrawn through line 97. Solvent from lines 74, 86, and 96 is accumulated in solvent accumulator 98 to supply solvent through line 99 solvent Chiller 100 and line 101 to lines 61, 66, 68, 70, 78, 82, 90 and 92.

FIGURE 3 shows the relationship of the end boiling point of a hydrocarbon fraction with the carbon number of the heaviest normal paraffin contained therein. In a fractional crystallization process, the highest carbon number normal paraffin present in the feed crystallizes first and successively lower carbon number constituents separate as the temperature is reduced. Accordingly, in the process of this invention the feed stock is first distilled to separate a distillate having a distillation end boiling point selected to exclude those normal paraiiins having higher carbon numbers than desired. By way of example, if it is intended to produce a normal paraflin product containing normal parafrins having 17 and less carbon atoms, FIGURE 3 indicates that the fractional crystallization charge should be distilled to an end point of about 580 to 590 F. When seeking a normal paraffin product containing 20 carbon atoms and less the end point of the distillate is maintained at 650 to 660 F.

As the crystallization temperature is reduced, additional amounts of a given carbon number constituent crystallize out and then lower carbon number constituents begin to crystallize out. This relationship for crystallization of normal parains from a hydrocarbon mixture diluted with methylethyl ketone is shown in FIGURE 4. It will be observed that with normal paraffin hydrocarbons containing 20 carbon atoms crystallization begins at about 42 F. and as the temperature is reduced additional C20 normal parafiins crystallize until at a temperature of about 8 F. all C20 normal paraflins have crystallized. Crystallization of 19 carbon atoms normal parafiins begins at about 32 and all C19 normal paraiiins are crystallized by the time the temperature reaches 2 F. Accordingly recovery of the highest molecular weight normal paraffin in the product is regulated by the end boiling point of the charge to the fractional crystallization and the lowest molecular weight normal paraiiin in the product is controlled by fractional crystallization temperature. FIGURE 4 may be used to estimate the recovery of each normal paraffin component of a charge stock for a given fractional crystallization temperature and from an analysis of the charge, the expected yield of normal paraffin product can be determined. For example, separation at 0 F. is indicated to recover all of the C20 and higher normal parains in the charge, 93% of the C19 normal parains, 59% of the C111 normal parains, 26% of the C17 normal parafiins and essentially none of the C10 and lower normal parafiins. Separation temperatures below 40 F. are indicated to be required to recover about half of the C14 normal parafiins which temperature is about the economic limit for solvent fractional crystallization at this time. The upper limit of normal parain recovery is about the C00 normal paraliins since the transition to microcrystalline waxes occurs at about this level.

DESCRIPTION 0F THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Example I In an example of the process of this invention, a gas oil fraction having an end boiling point of 637 F. is separated by distillation and charged to a solvent fractional crystallization system employing methylethyl ketone (MEK) as solvent at the conditions and with the 7 Operating conditions Primary fractional crystallization Solvent MEK Dilution, Vol. solvent:vol. charge 1:1 Wash, vol. solventzvol. charge 1:1 Filtering temperature, F -10 Repulping Solvent MEK Dilution, vol. solvent:vol. charge 4:1 Wash, vol. solvent:vol. charge 3:1 Filtering temperature, F -10 Normal paraffin product Yield vol. percent charge 9.5 Analysis, n-paraiins, wt. percent ICI-C15 0 I1C16 0.9 Il-Clf] n-C18 26.8 n-C19 36.5 11C20 Total 97.7

Analysis of the results in Table I shows that although the gas oil charge stock contains over 88% non-normal paraffin hydrocarbons, the separated product contains 97.7 Wt. percent normal parai'lins and 96.8 percent C1,- Cm normal paraiiins. It will further be noted that although the feed stock contains substantial amounts of C15 and C16 normal parafns, the separated product is free of C15 normal paraiiins and contains only about 6 percent of the C16 normal parains contained in the feed.

Example II In this example a gas oil is distilled to a 623 F. end point to include C19 normal parains but to exclude higher boiling normal parains. The resulting distillate is then subjected to solvent fractional crystallization at the conditions and with results shown in the following Table II.

TABLE II Charge Tests Gas Oil Boiling Range, F.:

Initial Boiling Polnt 540 End Point 623 Analysis, n-parains, wt. percent: 2 114 5. 7 4. 6 3. 6 0

Total 15.

Test Test Operating Conditions A B Primary iractional crystalliztion:

Solvent MEK MEK Dilution, vol. solventzvol. charge. 1:1 1:1 Wash, vol. Solventwol. charge.- 2:1 2:1 Filterning temperature, F 0 +10 Repulping:

olvent MEK MEK Dilution, vol. solventzvol. charge. 6:1 6: 1 Wash, vol. solventzvol. charge 3; 1 3: 1 Filtering temperature, F 0 +10 Normal Paran Product, Yield Vol. Percent Charge-.- 7. 4 4. 5 `Analysis, n-paraflin wt. percent: o 0 1. 7 0 18. 8 3. 4 38. 4 28. 4 38. 9 61. 9 1. 2 3. 0 0 0. 8

Table II shows that fractional crystallization at 0 F. produces a product comprising 99.0 wt. percent normal paraflins or 96.1 percent C17-C19 normal parains. Fractional crystallization at +l0 F. at the same dilution and wash solvent ratios gives a normal paraffin product of 97.5 wt. percent normal parafns comprising 90.3 wt. percent C13 and C19 normal parains.

is shown in the treatment of a light -gas oil distilled to 5 have a boiling range of 447 to 616 F. This feed stock is subjected to fractional crystallization in the presence of methylethyl ketone solvent at the conditions with the results shown in the following Table III:

10 TABLE III Charge tests Boiling range, F. Gas oil Initial boiling point 447 End point 616 Analysis, n-paraiiins, wt. percent :fl-C11 0.1 lil-C12 0.2 I1C13 0.9 III-C14 20 Afl-C15 1.6 I1'C16 1.8 n-C17 1.6 l-Clg 2.1 n-C1g 2.5 11C20 0.7

Total 13.0 Operating conditions Primary fractional crystallization Solvent MEK Dilution, vol. solvent: vol. charge 0.5 :l Wash, vol. solvent: vol. charge 1:1 Filtering temperature, F. -10 Repulping 39 Solvent MEK Dilution, vol. solvent: vol. charge 4:1 Wash, vol. solvent: vol. charge 3 :1 Filtering temperature, F. -10 40 Normal paraffin product Yield vol. percent charge 10.7 Analysis, n-parains wt. percent 1'1-C11 0 .I1-C12 o I'C13 0 11C14 0 11C15 11C16 v 2.3 I1C17 :I1-C18 Ill-C19 n-Czo 19.9

Total 97.7

Reference to Table III shows that although the feed stock contains substantial `amounts of C11-C14 normal Example III The ability of the present invention to employ a feed stock with a considerable amount of light material therein paraiiins, none of these normal paraiiins appear in the normal paraffin product, and the normal paraffin product comprise 95.0% C17 to C20 normal parains.

We claim:

1. A method of separating normal paraffin having from 15 to 20 carbon atoms Afrom a gas oil containing such paralins and other hydrocarbons which comprises:

(1) distilling said gas oil, and separating a distillate comprising normal parains having from l5 to 20 carbon atoms and having a boiling range from substantially the initial boiling point of said gas oil and including the highest carbonnumber constituent of the desired normal parain product to the substantial exclusion of the next higher carbon number normal paraffin constituent of said gasoil,

(2) diluting saidv distillate with up to 5.0 volumes of i a solvent at a temperature of complete miscibility of said solvent and said distillate forming a diluted distillate, i

(3) cooling said diluted distillate to a temperature within the range of -60 to +50 F. and .at which the lowest carbon number constituent normal paraffin of the desired normal paraffin product separates as a solid comprising said product from a solution comprising solvent, other hydrocarbons, and normal parains of lower carbon numbers.

(4) and separating said solid comprising said normal paraflin product from said solution in a yield of at least 95 weight percent.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein said distillate has an end boiling point of 650 F., said distillate is diluted with 0.5 to 2.0 volumes of said solvent, and said diluted distillate is cooled to a separation temperature within the range of -20 to +20 F.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein said solvent comprises a ketone selected from the group consisting of acetone, methylethyl ketone, methyl n-propyl ketone, methyl-isopropyl ketone, methyl-isobutyl ketone and their mixtures.

4. The process of claim 3 wherein said solvent cornprises said ketone and an aromatic hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of benzene and toluene.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the separated normal parains are repulped with 1.0 to 8.0 volumes of solvent, said normal paraiins are separated from the repulping solvent at a temperature within the range f -60 to +50 F., and separated repulping solvent is recycled to provide at least a portion of said solvent used for dilution of said distillate.

6. The process of claim 5 wherein said separated normal parains are repulped with 2.0 to 6.0 volumes of solvent and said normal parains are separated from said 10 repulping solvent at a temperature within the range of -25 to +20 F.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein said solution comprising solvent, other hydrocarbons and normal parains of the next lower carbon number is cooled to a temperature at least 10 F. below the temperature to which said diluted distillates is cooled effecting separation of said normal parains of lower carbon number as a solid from remaining solution comprising solvent and other hydrocarbons.

8. The process of claim 7 wherein the separated normal parains of lower carbon numbers are repulped with 1.0 to 8.0 volumes of solvent, said normal paraflins of lower carbon numbers are separated from the repulped solvent at a temperature within the range of to +50 F., and separated repulping solvent is recycled in admiX- ture with said solution.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,409,514 11/ 1968 Drapeau et al. 260-676 1,951,780 3/ 1934 Voorhees 62-58 2,603,589 7/ 1952 Schaerer 208--24 2,815,364 12/1957 Green 260-676 3,067,270 12/ 1962 Weedman 203-48 FOREIGN PATENTS 525,388 8/ 1940 Great Britain.

HERBERT LEVINE, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 203-48; 260-676 

